Timeline of the French
Revolution
1774
• Louis XVI takes the throne at the age of
19. Well Intentioned but weak leader who
was often dominated by his wife, Marie
Antoinette.
1789
• Louis XVI’s government about to go
bankrupt. Poor harvests. The National
assembly is formed.
July 14, 1789
• The people of Paris storm the Bastille, a
much hated prison that symbolized
autocratic rule. The Revolution had begun.
August 1789
• National Assembly
adopted the
Declaration of the
Rights of Man and of
the Citizen.
Guaranteed the rights
of “liberty, property,
security, and
resistance to
oppression” to all
people.
October 1789
• The Great Fear, Peasants were fearful
that the nobles were hiring outlaws to
terrorize them.
• Peasants rioted. Stormed Versailles and
demanded that Louis and Marie Antoinette
come to Paris.
September 1791
• National Assembly disbanded so the new
Legislative Assembly can take over.
Creates a constitutional monarchy; strips
power from the king and gave the
Assembly the power to create French law.
December 1791
• The Revolution leaders start
to turn on each other and
three factions in the
Legislative Assembly form.
Radicals, Moderates, and
Conservatives
Summer 1792
• Austria and Prussia, who supported Louis
XVI, sent troops to Paris.
August 10, 1792
• 20,000 Parisians invade the Royal Palace,
Louis, Marie Antoinette and their children
Imprisoned.
September 21, 1792
• The National Convention abolishes the
monarchy and declares France a
Republic. All adult male citizens are
granted the right to vote and hold office.
Women not given the same rights
December 1792- January 1793
• Louis is no longer
king, the radical
Jacobins tried Louis
for treason and
found him guilty. He
is sentenced to
death.
January 21, 1793
• Louis XVI executed
by the guillotine.
February 1793
• Great Britain, Holland and Spain join
Prussia and Austria and fighting France.
• The National Assembly drafts 300,000
French citizens into the army.
Summer 1793
• Revolution leader Maximilien
Robespierre sets out to gather
power into his own hands.
• He becomes the leader of the
Committee of Public Safety.
He decides who should be
considered an enemy of the
republic. The committee had
people tried and executed in
the same day.
October 13, 1793
• Marie Antoinette executed.
• Revolutionary courts declare death
sentences on those that challenge
Robespierre.
July 1793- July 1794
• Robespierre governed
France nearly as a
dictator, this period
became known as the
Reign of Terror.
• Approximately 3,000
were executed in Paris.
And as many as 40,000
were killed all together.
July 1794
• The National Committee turns on
Robespierre, claiming that he is a Tyrant.
• He is executed on July 28.
1795
• Moderate leaders in the
National Convention draft a
new Constitution.
• It creates a two house
legislature and an executive
body of five men, known as
the Directory.
• Napoleon Bonaparte chosen
to lead France’s armies.
Timeline project
• Create a timeline incorporating the 18
events.
• Use a revolution theme. Examples: French
flag, Guillotine, rioters, heads, etc.
• Be Creative. Poster, Mobile, Diorama, 3-D
• NO POWERPOINTS
• Due Friday Dec. 14, 2012
1774
Louis XVI takes the
throne at the age
of 19.
Well Intentioned but weak
leader who was
often dominated
by his wife, Marie
Antoinette.
September 1791
National Assembly adopted the
Declaration of the Rights of
Man and of the Citizen.
Guaranteed the rights of
“liberty, property, security, and
resistance to oppression” to all
people.
July 14, 1789
The people of Paris storm the
Bastille, a much hated prison
that symbolized autocratic rule.
The Revolution had begun.
1789
Louis XVI’s government
about to go bankrupt.
Poor harvests. The
National assembly is
formed.
August 1789
National Assembly
adopted the Declaration
of the Rights of Man and
of the Citizen.
Guaranteed the rights of
“liberty, property, security,
and resistance to
oppression” to all people.
October 1789
The Great Fear,
Peasants were
fearful that the
nobles were
hiring outlaws
to terrorize
them.
Peasants
rioted. Stormed
Versailles and
demanded that
Louis and Marie
Antoinette
come to Paris.
January 1793
Louis is no longer king, the
radical Jacobins tried Louis
for treason and found him
guilty. He is sentenced to
death.
December 1791
The Revolution leaders start to
turn on each other and three
factions in the Legislative
Assembly form. Radicals,
Moderates, and Conservatives
February 1793
Great Britain, Holland and
Spain join Prussia and
Austria and fighting France.
The National Assembly
drafts 300,000 French
citizens into the army.
January 1793
Louis XVI
executed by
the guillotine.
Summer 1792
Austria and
Prussia, who
supported
Louis XVI,
sent troops to
Paris.
September 21, 1792
The National
Convention abolishes
the monarchy and
declares France a
Republic. All adult male
citizens are granted the
right to vote and hold
office. Women not given
the same rights
August 10, 1792
20,000 Parisians invade
the Royal Palace, Louis,
Marie Antoinette and their
children Imprisoned.
July 1793-July 1794
Robespierre governed France nearly as a dictator,
this period became known as the Reign of Terror.
Approximately 3,000 were executed in Paris. And as
many as 40,000 were killed all together.
October 13, 1793
Marie Antoinette
executed.
Revolutionary
courts declare
death sentences
on those that
challenge
Robespierre.
Summer 1793
Revolution leader Maximilien Robespierre sets out to
gather power into his own hands.
He becomes the leader of the Committee of Public
Safety. He decides who should be considered an
enemy of the republic. The committee had people tried
and executed in the same day.
July 1794
The National Committee
turns on Robespierre,
claiming that he is a Tyrant.
He is executed on July 28.
1795
Moderate leaders in the
National Convention draft a
new Constitution.
It creates a two house
legislature and an
executive body of five men,
known as the Directory.
Napoleon Bonaparte
chosen to lead France’s
armies.